journalism

A federal district judge rejects the Trump administration's arguments against the proposed merger of telecom and satellite TV provider AT&T and media content giant Time Warner. Will the government appeal? What impact is the decision likely to have on consumers and other attempts at so-called "vertical" mergers?

President Trump used his first State of the Union speech to call for unity, but once again associated illegal immigration with drugs and murder. Congressional Republicans cheered him. Democrats largely sat on their hands and grumbled during parts of his immigration remarks. What did the news media have to say before and after the address?

On a special edition of Global Journalist, Meredith Artley, editor in chief of CNN Digital, talks about the impact of social media on the news, competing with start-ups like BuzzFeed, and envisions a future of immersive news.

CNN Digital, the world's most viewed online news site in 2015, was recently awarded a Missouri Honor Medal for distinguished contributions to journalism.

More and more companies, especially in the media, are trying to find new ways to attract millennials. And one former University of Missouri student is going directly to the source with her new journalism tech start-up, run by and for millennials.

As a co-host of NPR's flagship "All Things Considered," Audie Cornish's voice is heard by 12 million people everyday. On a special edition of Global Journalist, she takes us behind the scenes of one of the most influential radio shows in the U.S. and talks about the future of public radio.

In the last 24 hours I’ve seen journalists all over the country grappling with the senseless murder of two TV journalists working in Roanoke, VA. Many of us see ourselves in them: young, energetic, aspiring. Taking on the crummy hours because it’s worth it to get your start on your career, knowing you won’t win any awards for your routine assignments.

The New York Times has had to walk back its story on a "criminal" probe of Hillary Clinton's private email server while the paper is vigorously defending another of its exclusives...on abuses in the nail salon industry. The first Republican presidential debate is only a week away. Some wonder whether all the scrambling to meet the Fox News criteria for inclusion is worth the trouble. More bad news for the newspaper business: major layoffs and poor performance with minority employment. Media companies are embracing a new revenue source that raises ethical questions. And research shows "visual" news sites are more successful.

My longest job ever was just under four years. It's hard for me to fathom working in the same place for ten years. It is a rarity these days to find someone who has stayed in the same job for more than a decade. This week's guest on Thinking Out Loud has worked for 53 years in the mid-Missouri television market. Forty-seven of those years he has spent with one organization. This week on Thinking Out Loud, we talk with KRCG Anchor and News Producer Dick Preston.

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This episode of KBIA's Thinking Out Loud features a conversation with long-time KRCG TV-13 producer and anchorman Dick Preston.

We interviewed Brian Bonner and Katya Gorchinskaya of the Kyiv Post, which received a 2014 Missouri Honor Medal, about their careers and the future of journalism. The Kyiv Post is an English language, independent newspaper that became a prime source of information for the west when Russian actions in Ukraine escalated.

The University of Missouri is known for it’s School of Journalism. Every year, hundreds of freshmen from across the country come to school at MU to learn about news or sports broadcasting. But KBIA’s Jason Hoffman found one freshman who’s career in sports radio has an added challenge: He's blind.

After 11 years as prime minister, Recip Tayyip Erdogan became Turkey's first directly-elected president in August. Under Erdogan’s tenure, Turkey’s economy has grown significantly. The country’s main minority group, the Kurds, have gained new rights. And a military with a history of meddling in politics has been kept in its barracks. But press freedom groups like Reporters Without Borders and the Committee to Protect Journalists have consistently criticized efforts by Erdogan’s AK Party to limit freedom of expression and of the press.

The New York Times this week ran a series of editorials calling on the federal government to repeal the ban on marijuana. A brave, game-changing move that shows the country's leading newspaper acting like one, or just another sign of how behind public opinion the mainstream media are these days? And what difference will it make?

While Western media have for days been focusing on Russian-backed separatists as the culprits behind the missile attack on MH 17 over eastern Ukraine, the people of Russia have been hearing different stories from their government-controlled media.

In this recent series of commentaries for KBIA.org, Missouri student journalists recount a few of life’s confusing lessons. Led by Missouri School of Journalism Professor and storytelling master Berkley Hudson, these 11 student commentators took not only pen to paper but also got in front of the microphone, to talk out these essays that touch on life, relationships, growing up and striking out, among other issues. Enjoy!

The past week has been a busy one for stories about national security and how the media have handled those stories. A judge rules the National Security Agency's phone records collection program is probably unconstitutional. Meanwhile, the plaintiff in that lawsuit gets into an on-air battle with a CNN anchor and analyst. 60 Minutes airs what many critics consider a puff piece on the NSA. The AP and Washington Post publish a story connecting a missing American to a rogue CIA program in Iran. And American leaker Edward Snowden gets the nod from many for "person of the year."

Many media and journalism-school types have been following the dustup over KPLR anchor/reporter Melanie Moon's behavior while covering the Ryan Ferguson press conference earlier this week right after his release from prison. Joy Mayer at the Columbia Missourian cataloged the exchange with Moon in this Storify, so you'll need to read that first for this piece to make much sense. As Mayer has pointed out, many news outlets and twitterers are focusing on the ethical conversation around Moon hugging Ryan Ferguson and his father Bill, and taking a photograph with Ryan at the press conference. This is an interesting conversation, and the area of journalism ethics is blurry sometimes. But the more important conversation to have here really is the area that is not blurry: one about good, responsible journalism.

Just to get this out of the way briefly here, I'm going to side with the curmudgeons on the hug, and say for a variety of reasons that is unprofessional. I'm not calling for a ban on journalist hugs, but I will summarize by saying I think intention is important. Hugs for consolation can make sense in some circumstances, for celebration, not so much. I would contend that if you're doing your job right as a journalist you will already have boundaries that make interactions like this something you'll never feel comfortable with. I also will emphasize the importance of avoiding the appearance of conflict of interest, and the Society of Professional journalists would back me up on that one.

Ecuador’s government made international news for two actions recently. The country's foreign minister met with WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange at its London embassy. Assange took refuge in Ecuador’s embassy to avoid extradition to Sweden, where he faces questioning for alleged sexual assaults.